Latin name and variety denomination: The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Vaccinium corymbosum, which is hereby denominated xe2x80x98Aurora.xe2x80x99
This application is related to the present inventor""s United States Patent Applications entitled xe2x80x9cBlueberry plant denominated xe2x80x98Liberty,xe2x80x99xe2x80x9d U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/350,343, filed Jan. 23, 2003, and xe2x80x9cBlueberry plant denominated xe2x80x98Draper,xe2x80x99xe2x80x9d U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/350,354, filed Jan. 23, 2003. Both of these applications are also assigned to the assignee of the present application. The disclosures of the above applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of highbush blueberry plant, denominated xe2x80x98Aurora.xe2x80x99 Aurora is a new blueberry variety of Vaccinium corymbosum from the Michigan State University breeding program. It is a productive, very late ripening variety with high fresh market quality that is intended for areas where northern highbush varieties are grown successfully. Plants of Aurora are vigorous and upright. Canes are numerous, moderately branched and the fruit are well exposed. Its berries are moderately large, have small, dry picking scars, excellent powder-blue color, delicious flavor and excellent firmness. Aurora has a harvest season that begins about 5 days after the variety known as xe2x80x98Elliott.xe2x80x99 xe2x80x98Auroraxe2x80x99 ripens 10-14 days after xe2x80x98Brigettaxe2x80x99. Blueberry growers often receive their highest profits in the late season. Aurora will provide a new late ripening option with high quality fruit.
Emasculated flowers of the xe2x80x98Brigettaxe2x80x99 highbush blueberry from Australia were pollinated in 1991 with pollen from the northern highbush variety Elliott. The seeds were germinated, grown in a greenhouse for 1 year and then field planted at Benton Harbor, Mich. Aurora was selected from a group of 54 siblings in 1997. The original selection has been evaluated at Benton Harbor, Mich. annually for 11 years. Asexual reproduction took place at East Lansing, Mich. and Lowell, Oreg. Aurora has been propagated by hardwood cuttings that produced over a hundred shoots that were rooted in the greenhouse and then planted in the field. Initiation of rood development from hardwood cuttings takes about two to about three months. In addition, Aurora has been propagated by softwood cuttings that have been rooted. Furthermore, generation of microshoots in a greenhouse using established tissue culture methods has produced thousands of clones of Aurora. Initiation of root development from microshoots takes about three to about four weeks. Such methods are discussed in the following references, which are incorporated by reference in their entirety: Doran, W. L. and Bailey, J. S. xe2x80x9cPropagation of the high bush blueberry by softwood cuttings,xe2x80x9d Bulletin Massachusetts Agricultural Experiment Station; no. 410. Amherst, Mass. Massachusetts State College, 1943; Doehlert, C. A. xe2x80x9cPropagating blueberries from hardwood cuttings,xe2x80x9d Circular (New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station) 490. New Brunswick, N.J. New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, 1945; Doehlert, C. A. xe2x80x9cPropagating blueberries from hardwood cuttings,xe2x80x9d Circular (New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station) 551. New Brunswick, N.J.: New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, 1953; El Shiekh, A.; Wildung, D. K.; Luby, J. J.; Sargent, K. L,; Read, P. E. xe2x80x9cLong term effects of propagation by tissue culture or softwood single node cuttings on growth habit, yield, and berry weight of xe2x80x98Northbluexe2x80x99 blueberry,xe2x80x9d Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science. 1996, 121:2, 339 342; Galletta, G. J.; Ballington, J. R.; Daubeny, H. A.; Brennan, R. M.; Reisch, B. J.; Pratt, C.; Ferguson, A. R.; Seal, A. G.; McNeilage, M. A.; Fraser, L. G.; Harvey, C. F.; Beatson, R. A.; Hancock, J. F.; Scott, D. H.; Lawrence, F. J.; Janick, J. (ed.); Moore, J. N. xe2x80x9cFruit breeding. Volume II. Vine and small fruits,xe2x80x9d Department of Horticulture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind. 1996 John Wiley and Sons; New York; USA; Strik, B.; Brun, C.; Ahmedullah, M.; Antonelli, A.; Askham, L.; Barney, D.; Bristow, P.; Fisher, G.; Hart, J.; Havens, D. Draper A. D. and Chandler C. K. xe2x80x9cAccelerating highbush blueberry selection evaluation by early propagation,xe2x80x9d Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science. 1986 111(2): 301-303; Pritts M. P. and Hancock J. F. (Eds.) xe2x80x9cHighbush blueberry production guide,xe2x80x9d Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Service, Ithaca, N.Y. USA 1992.
Clones of Aurora have been tested for two years at Grand Junction, Mich., South Haven, Mich., Lacota, Mich., Corvallis, Oreg., and Lowell, Oreg. In all cases all resulting plants have stably displayed characteristics of the variety. Consistent high yields at Benton Harbor and Grand Junction, Mich. indicate that the buds and wood of Aurora are tolerant to fluctuating late fall and spring temperatures. Aurora also has excellent winter hardiness, as it has routinely been challenged with mid-winter temperatures belowxe2x88x9220xc2x0 C. Probable areas of adaptation and markets include blueberry growers in Michigan and across the USA, Canada, Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, Germany, and New Zealand.